Donovan Mitchell and James Harden face mounting pressure to deliver a deep postseason run for the Cleveland Cavaliers following a gruelling seven-game series victory over the Toronto Raptors.
The Ohio-based franchise made a significant gamble in February by trading 26-year-old All-Star Darius Garland for the veteran Harden.
That bold move paired the 29-year-old Mitchell with a kindred spirit who possesses extensive postseason experience but shares a history of playoff frustration.
Between them, the two guards boast 26 combined playoff appearances without ever securing an NBA championship.
Veteran experience and natural chemistry
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson believes the mid-season acquisition was perfectly timed for their current playoff push.
“This league is a lot about when you get a player in their career,” Atkinson said. “I think we got James at the right time.”
The former Houston Rockets star has evolved from a prolific scorer into a traditional point guard, embracing his role as a creator for Cleveland.
Mitchell has welcomed the support of the 11-time All-Star as he attempts to lead a team that has not advanced past the second round since 2018.
“I appreciate when you have a guy like that,” Mitchell said. “He’s been here. He’s been where I’m at and trying to go to.”
Overcoming immediate postseason hurdles
The new partnership is being severely tested under the intense spotlight of the 2026 postseason.
Cleveland required seven exhausting games to eliminate the fifth-seeded Raptors, exposing vulnerabilities and amplifying the scrutiny on their star backcourt.
The dynamic Mitchell started the playoffs with consecutive 30-point performances but has since been limited to an average of 20.5 points over his last six outings.
Harden acknowledges that building a seamless on-court relationship during the most critical point of the season remains a demanding challenge.
“I know we are behind,” Harden explained. “What speeds that process up is communication and talking, helping each other out.”
Manchester City forward Vivianne Miedema has revealed she missed the conclusion of her team’s Women’s Super League title-winning campaign because her mother is in intensive care following cancer treatment.
The 29-year-old was absent for the final two matches of the season due to the severe family emergency.
Her team-mates held up a shirt displaying her name and squad number as they celebrated being crowned champions on Wednesday evening.
Intensive care battle
The Dutch international explained the situation on social media, detailing the severe medical challenges her mother is currently facing.
“The last 2.5 weeks have been really difficult for us as a family,” she said.
“My mum had serious complications after her chemo treatment for cancer and has been in the ICU since.”
“She’s been fighting for her life, and by some miracle, she is still here.”
The WSL’s all-time leading goalscorer thanked supporters for their messages of love and support.
She also added that she could not wait to share the news of the league victory with her mother.
City secure historic triumph
The prolific striker has been instrumental to her club’s success this season, contributing 10 goals in 19 appearances.
Her attacking efforts helped the Manchester side claim their first domestic league triumph since 2016.
The coronation was officially confirmed after Arsenal dropped vital points against Brighton.
A 1-1 draw on Wednesday meant the third-placed Gunners could no longer mathematically catch the league leaders.
Arsenal’s domestic disappointment follows their recent Women’s Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Lyon.
Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has revealed he is willing to come out of retirement for a UFC fight against long-time rival Nate Diaz.
The 37-year-old American stepped away from mixed martial arts last year following a decorated career that recently included challenging for the ‘BMF’ title.
However, the Louisiana native has recently intensified his training regime and admits a return to the octagon remains a distinct possibility.
Any potential comeback hinges entirely on securing a bout with the Stockton brawler to settle a rivalry dating back several years.
A rivalry reignited
The pair were originally scheduled to meet at UFC 230 in New York back in 2018.
That highly anticipated Madison Square Garden clash collapsed, with the ‘Diamond’ ultimately withdrawing to undergo necessary hip surgery.
Speaking on the Deep Waters podcast, the veteran fighter explained his motivation to finally make the matchup happen.
“I still want to whip Nate’s a**,” Poirier said.
“I’ll come back to fight him because our fight got away, and he lied, and the fans ran on his side.”
Clearing up the past
The former champion used the opportunity to clarify the circumstances surrounding their cancelled 2018 bout.
He claims the promotion offered him alternative opponents, including Kevin Lee, after negotiations with Diaz unexpectedly stalled.
“I said, ‘Listen, if it’s not Nate, I’m not fighting, I’m going to go have my hip taken care of,’” he explained.
“But then Nate used that, and I was the fall guy, like the fight’s off because I pulled out, but I never pulled out, I just never wanted to fight anybody else but Nate.”
Diaz’s post-UFC ventures
While Poirier contemplates his next move, his 41-year-old rival remains active across various combat sports.
The Californian departed the UFC in 2022 after securing a submission victory over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279.
He subsequently transitioned to professional boxing, suffering a debut defeat to Jake Paul before rebounding with a decision win against former octagon foe Jorge Masvidal.
A return to mixed martial arts has been mooted for Diaz, potentially paving the way for this long-awaited grudge match to materialise.
Liverpool can secure Champions League qualification this weekend when they host Chelsea at Anfield, provided results elsewhere fall in their favour.
Arne Slot’s side remain in control of their own destiny despite suffering a 3-2 defeat against fierce rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out.
The Merseyside club sit fourth in the Premier League table, leading fifth-placed Aston Villa only on goal difference.
However, fifth place will be sufficient to reach Europe’s elite club competition next season due to the strong performance of English clubs in continental tournaments.
Qualification scenarios explained
The six-time European champions currently possess 58 points and require four more from their remaining three fixtures to guarantee a top-five finish.
Victory over the Blues on home soil will be enough to seal qualification if sixth-placed Bournemouth fail to beat Fulham on Saturday afternoon.
A draw at Anfield could also suffice under a highly specific set of circumstances involving their closest challengers.
For a single point to be enough, Fulham must defeat the Cherries, title-chasing Manchester City need to beat Brentford, and Brighton must drop points against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Overcoming recent setbacks
The recent defeat in Manchester capped a frustrating period for the Anfield outfit, but they were offered a reprieve when Villa suffered a home loss to relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur.
Holding a comfortable six-point advantage over Bournemouth, it would require a significant collapse for the current fourth-placed side to fall out of the coveted top five.
A return to the Champions League would provide a vital boost for the Dutch manager as he concludes his maiden campaign in English football.
Former Australia international Marcus North is set to become the first foreigner appointed as the England men’s national cricket selector.
The 46-year-old was chosen following final interviews this week, as first reported by the Telegraph.
Although the move is not yet finalised, the England and Wales Cricket Board is expected to confirm the historic appointment shortly.
A historic backroom shake-up
North will replace Luke Wright in the most significant change to the backroom staff since the recent 4-1 Ashes defeat.
Wright stepped down from the high-pressure role for personal reasons after serving for more than three years.
The former Australian Test batsman already boasts a long-standing association with the English domestic game.
He has served as director of cricket at Durham since 2018, where he worked closely with current Test captain Ben Stokes.
Balancing the McCullum era
The incoming selector will join a leadership group featuring head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key.
Stokes and limited-overs captain Harry Brook will also remain heavily involved in finalising squads alongside the performance director.
Under McCullum, management has frequently prioritised raw attributes over proven county statistics.
It will be North’s primary responsibility to provide analytical balance to these bold selection methods.
He emerged successful from an initial pool of approximately 80 candidates who submitted applications in April.
When inviting applications, the governing body was explicit about its core requirements for the successful candidate.
“Applicants should have demonstrable experience of informing talent identification and a strong understanding of data and analytics within cricket,” the ECB stated.
Looming selection decisions
The new appointee may only have a limited window to influence the squad for the first Test against New Zealand.
The summer curtain-raiser begins at Lord’s on 4 June, with a training camp commencing in Loughborough late in May.
A pressing issue for the selection panel will be finding a reliable new opening batter to replace Zak Crawley.
Durham’s Emilio Gay and Somerset prospect James Rew are currently considered the leading contenders for the top-order vacancy.
The final composition of the spin and fast-bowling departments will also prompt intense discussion ahead of the imminent squad announcement.
Manchester City have been crowned Women’s Super League champions for the first time in a decade after Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton ensured they cannot be caught.
The historic triumph ends Chelsea’s six-year stranglehold on the trophy and marks a monumental achievement for the club.
The squad watched Wednesday’s decisive fixture huddled together at the Academy Stadium, enduring a nervous wait before the celebrations could finally begin.
Overcoming the psychological hurdle
Prior to this historic campaign, the Sky Blues had suffered the heartbreak of finishing as domestic runners-up six times since their last league win.
Manager Andree Jeglertz identified this lingering second-place syndrome as the primary barrier to his side’s ultimate success upon taking charge.
The Swedish coach noted that altering the mindset of his talented squad was perhaps his most significant conquest of the season.
“There was one thing that I felt early with this group, of course it’s about the quality, but we had to start talking like we could win.”
“The players also said we have to start talking about being good enough to win. That’s my job, to create that winning mentality.”
Navigating bumps in the road
The journey to glory was not without its turbulent moments, including a sobering opening-day defeat to Chelsea that immediately tested their resolve.
A recent shock 3-2 loss to Brighton briefly threatened to derail their title charge in the crucial closing stages of the season.
However, the newly crowned champions displayed immense grit, epitomised by a crucial last-gasp 1-0 victory over Liverpool last weekend.
“We’ve had a couple of late goals for a win during the year and I think that shows the mentality of the group. We’ve always found a way.”
By combining their trademark spectacular football with relentless toil, the Citizens have conclusively proven they possess both the style and substance required to conquer English football.
England captain Ben Stokes will make his return from a facial injury by bowling for Durham against Worcestershire on Friday.
The 34-year-old has not played since the Ashes after a stray ball required reconstructive surgery to his face.
His body has endured significant wear over the past year, having previously battled recurring shoulder and groin complaints.
However, there will be no gentle reintroduction for the dynamic all-rounder at New Road.
Durham head coach Ryan Campbell confirmed the returning star will take a full part with the ball in the County Championship fixture.
New-ball responsibilities
The departure of West Indian seamer Kemar Roach means the Test skipper could even be handed the new ball by county captain Alex Lees.
“He’ll be bowling for us, 100 per cent,” Campbell told the Press Association.
“In one of the innings he might even go with the new ball, that’s in our thinking.”
Campbell expects the talismanic cricketer to deliver around 20 to 25 overs across the entire match.
He added that once the fiercely competitive player enters the battle, it is notoriously difficult to withdraw him from the attack.
England’s opening bowler headache
Taking the new ball for his county provides an intriguing narrative ahead of the international summer.
The national side has struggled to fill the opening bowler void following the gradual departures of veterans like James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
The left-handed batter enjoyed a bowling renaissance last year, topping his country’s wicket-taking charts with 33 dismissals at an average of 23.12.
Despite his undeniable international pedigree, Durham’s management insists his domestic deployment is purely focused on securing a county victory.
“We’ve made it very clear, Stokesy is here as a member of our team to help win a game of cricket for Durham, not to get ready for England,” Campbell added.
Meanwhile, England white-ball captain Harry Brook is also set to make his first county appearance of the season for Yorkshire.
Claire Dowling has made history by being appointed as the first female captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, taking up the role 12 years after the institution opened its membership to women.
The 2026-27 term appointment comes after nominations from past leaders of the prestigious St Andrews establishment.
Her landmark year in office will officially commence following the traditional driving-in ceremony on the first tee of the Old Course on Friday, 25 September 2026.
Pioneering membership and administrative roles
The Dublin-born golfer was among the pioneering group of women to join the Scottish club in 2015 following a landmark vote the previous year.
Since then, she has been a highly active administrator, serving extensively across the rules, general, and membership committees.
The experienced official previously acted as deputy chair for both the rules and general bodies before stepping into this prominent leadership position.
An extensive amateur playing career
Before transitioning to governance, the Irishwoman enjoyed a highly decorated amateur playing career across domestic and international competition.
She represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup four times, famously contributing to a historic 13-5 victory over the United States on American soil in 1986.
The five-time Irish Championship winner later returned to captain the GB&I squad against the Americans during a narrow 10-8 defeat at Ganton in 2000.
Further international honours included leading the Vagliano Trophy team and representing Ireland in the home internationals over a remarkable 13-year span.
Officiating legacy at The Open
Beyond her playing and committee achievements, the former Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play champion boasts a strong background in course refereeing.
She has officiated at The Open Championship on seven distinct occasions throughout her varied career in the sport.
During the 2021 tournament at Royal St George’s, she and her husband Peter notably became the first married couple to referee at the same championship.